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December 5, 2007

Wednesday With Johan Santana

Some MFY news re: Cashman, Hughes and Santana:

Bob Klapisch: "It wasn't money, it wasn't Ian Kennedy, nor was it the haggling over a third prospect that kept the Yankees from acquiring Johan Santana. When GM general manager Brian Cashman called the Twins at 2 p.m. on Tuesday to withdraw from the Santana sweepstakes, it was because losing Phil Hughes had become too great of a trauma for the Yankees to absorb."

Bill Madden: "Believe it or not, the final decision not to go through with a deal that was on the table - one that would have sacrificed Hughes, Melky Cabrera, 23-year-old Double-A righthander Jeff Marquez and 22-year-old A-ball third baseman Mitch Hilligoss - was based on money. ... [Cashman] never wanted to do this Santana deal, never wanted to get tied up in another expensive long-term contract for a pitcher and, above all, never wanted to give up Hughes."

And the Herald says: "The Red Sox have told Ryan Kalish's agent that his client's name never came up in talks with the Twins."

Sigh. Dozens of updates and reports, yet we really seem to be flying blind.

I saw that coming from a mile away, but it's a tad bit unexpected that it'd be the Twins reaching out to those teams. I'm surprised it wasn't the other way around. It's just common sense. Miguel Cabrera is off the market, so the players for Cabrera could seemingly jump into it for Santana.

We better hope something comes of this, because I'm sure we can't get anything else done at the winter meetings until this is finished. I'm beginning to think the MFY had the right idea setting a deadline.

Gammons on 890 ESPN:"Too much work has gone into building Boston's minor leagues - maybe they're better staying pat.""You'd have to tear up Beckett's contract, in addition to Johan's $120 mil."

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Old Hickory is wrong on Beckett. There exists no reason to tear up his contract. What will he do? Pout all season cuz Johan is making double? Josh'll get his super big payday later -- and if Santana raises the pay bar, he'll be glad for it.

"A lot of us here are coming to the realization that the Twins may head home from the winter meetings with Johan Santana still on the roster. The Twins continue to negotiate with multiple teams, and I'm impressed that they've held firm on their demands. ... the chances are growing that a deal won't be finalized here."

"The Twins reached out to at least the Mets and Angels, and possibly the Dodgers, on Tuesday to see if those teams could be lured into the Santana bidding, ESPN.com reported. Whether or not the Twins were shopping the Red Sox’ offer because they do not feel it is enough or whether or not the Twins feel the Red Sox’ offer(s) is good enough but they want to take one last swing through the other teams before accepting it remains to be seen."

Silverman: NASHVILLE — Manager Terry Francona did get off a good one at Curt Schilling’s expense while speaking with reporters. He got asked if he was pleased that Schilling and Mike Lowell each left money on the table to re-sign with the Red Sox.

“I’m thrilled,” said Francona. “That’s the first time Schill’s left anything on the table.”

NJ Star-Ledger: "A baseball official close to Boston management ... confirmed the Red Sox and Twins today are continuing to negotiate on players in a possible deal. ... the Red Sox are not making offers as if there is still competition for Santana. The official said that opposed to 24 hours earlier -- when the Red Sox were waiting to hear back from the Twins -- the teams are engaged, and that increases the likelihood of a deal."

I can't see how it makes sense for the Twins not to trade Santana. They don't look likely to compete this year (esp. after the Tigers' big splash yesterday), and it's two draft picks at the end of next year if they hold him. AND...a trade deadline swap (if Santana would go for it) seems likely to net them much less than they would get now as well.

This is the window...if they don't get anything else they like at all, then they'll take the Sox' offer.

I won't be upset if the Twins keep Santana (I'm interested to see Lester pitch a full year, though I don't expect miracles), but I'd be pretty confused and surprised.

Bottom line is that we're winners either way. Clearly if we get Johan, best LHP in the game. But even if we don't, we have Lester, Ellsbury and probably will trade Crisp for some decent bullpen help or a decent utility player or two...and since johan isn't going to MFY, we'll only have to see him maybe twice the entire year, but as previously mentioned he probably won't be a factor in the playoffs what with the Tigers improvements, and Cleveland/Boston/MFY all in the same league/potential WC contenders. He likely will get traded, probably to Boston, which will clearly be amazing. But even if he doesn't get traded/goes somewhere else, I think we're still in excellent shape.

Lyndon speaks:"I’m been trying not to pay too much attention to it. But it’s hard when all your friends, my parents and brothers are calling me because they want the inside scoop on everything. It’s tough just knowing that I have no control over where I play or anything like that. ... "It’s something I hope gets done sooner rather than later and I’m sure Johan feels the same. I’m just working out here in Oregon and staying in shape for anything possible. Where ever I go I’ll obviously give them my 100 percent. ...[Do you want to stay in Boston?]"Definitely. Definitely. Coming through the minor-league system, winning the World Series and with the team we have coming back, I want to be a part of that next year. I would love to come back but unfortunately I don’t have any say, whatsoever, where I end up next year. Where ever I do I will definitely give 100 percent, but I would like to stay a Red Sox."

BP: A Minnesota official said Wednesday that he is "99 percent sure" that left-hander Johan Santana will still be a Twin when the meetings end Thursday. The Twins still figure to deal Santana sometime before spring training, though it now seems no longer a complete lock that he will be traded to the Red Sox or the Yankees.

Herald: The latest word out of Nashville suggests that Ellsbury won’t be going anywhere, as Minnesota has begun to listen to other offers with the prospect of holding on to Santana becoming more and more likely.

About reporters asking questions that every single player would answer the same way ("Do you want to stay with [your team]?")--what do they think they're gonna hear?

"God, no. I hate this shit town and the World Series victory meant nothing to me. Our fans all love me and seem to want me to stay, but little do they know I'm praying that I am included in the trade, so I can go to Minnesota, where I've dreamed of playing my whole fucking life."

The source says Haren is exactly the type of player the Twins want for Santana, a cheap frontline starter. It's known the Mets would hate to deal Reyes but they would get some value beyond Santana. Billy Beane is happy because he gets Reyes for one more year than he had Haren plus longtime favorite Mulvey. And, he's out of Crosby's contract.

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That would be incredible, would it not? I'd feel bad that the Red Sox wouldn't be getting either Haren or Santana, but neither would the Yankees. It would be like none of this drama ever happened. The Red Sox would win. But personally, I've been rooting all the while for Santana to be traded to the Red Sox. I've always loved watching him pitch. But this will have to do.

UPDATE, 12-5-07 at 5:45pm: Billy Beane, who rarely comments on trade rumors, actually went out of his way to call mine below a "total fabrication." I guess I should be proud, right? It sounds like I was the victim of an elaborate hoax/impersonated sportswriter. If so I apologize - not sure why someone would go to such lengths, but lesson learned.

At this point, I want Minnesota to keep Santana and just get a draft pick for him. They're really holding up the show and not giving in.

SoSH was talking about that mega-rumour and saying it made no sense from the A's standpoint.

I agree. Jose Reyes is my favorite non-Red Sox player, but looking at who the A's would give up to get Reyes? No way. Haren, Crosby, and Johnson... Those three players should be more than enough to acquire SANTANA and then some!

Is there another way to look at this Santana opportunity? He would become a free agent after next year, at which point he would be available to the Red Sox again without any trade bait; all they'd have to do is be the highest bidder. But if the trade is made, the Sox (or anyone) would have to give Santana a FA-like contract immediately. Putting those pieces together, the trade would amount to acquiring Santana one year earlier. Why give up all this young talent for just the one year of services?

This is probably just a naive thought on my part, because such deals are done all the time. But I don't see any compelling reasons to give up so much talent just for the one year.